Imitation of Life

1934
Approved
1h 51m

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

5.8K

YOUR RATING

Claudette Colbert and Warren William in Imitation of Life (1934)

A struggling widow and her daughter take in a black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business, but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.

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Comedy Drama Romance

A struggling widow and her daughter take in a Black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business but face familial, identity, and racial issues along ... Read allA struggling widow and her daughter take in a Black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.A struggling widow and her daughter take in a Black housekeeper and her fair-skinned daughter; the two women start a successful business but face familial, identity, and racial issues along the way.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.5/10

5.8K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Nominated for 3 Oscars
- 1 win & 3 nominations total

Party Guest
(uncredited)

Alyce Ardell

French Maid
(uncredited)

William Austin

Englishman at Party
(uncredited)

Dorothy Black

Peola at 10
(uncredited)

Edna Bowdoin

Black Secretary
(uncredited)

Tyler Brooke

Tipsy Man at Party
(uncredited)

Daisy Bufford

Black Waitress
(uncredited)

Curry Lee Calmes

Black Chauffeur
(uncredited)

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
Fredi Washington (Peola at 19) was a light-skinned African-American. After playing this role, she was criticized by some in the Black community who labored under the misconception that the actress herself practiced self-hatred and would rather 'pass' herself off as white. In fact, Ms. Washington was an avid civil-rights activist.

Goofs
When baby Jessie falls into the bathtub going after her rubber ducky, there is an obvious edit between her falling in and the splash of water coming out of the tub as evidenced by the shifting of the towel and the shadows from the light coming in through the window on the tile wall behind the tub.

Quotes
Delilah Johnson: What's my baby want?
Peola Johnson, Age 19: I want to be white, like I look.
Delilah Johnson: Peola!
Peola Johnson, Age 19: [gesturing to mirror] Look at me. Am I not white? Isn't that a white girl?

Crazy credits
End credits titled at the top "A great cast is worth repeating".

Alternate versions
The original theatrical release print of Imitation of Life featured different title cards, including a title card containing a brief prologue, which read: "Atlantic City, in 1919, was not just a boardwalk, rolling-chairs and expensive hotels where bridal couples spent their honeymoons. A few blocks from the gaiety of the famous boardwalk, permanent citizens of the town lived and worked and reared families just like people in less glamorous cities." When the film was reissued by Universal in 1938, the title cards were changed, and the prologue card was removed. All current prints of the film, including those used for the VHS and DVD releases, are struck from the 1938 re-release version.

Connections
Featured in The Universal Story (1996)

Soundtracks
Nobody Knows de Trouble I've Seen
(uncredited)
Traditional Negro Spiritual
Lyrics by Henry Thacker Burleigh
Played and sung by an offscreen chorus during the opening credits
Played as background music often

User reviews114

Review

Featured review

9/10

Wonderful Movie.

I find the movie aptly named. My motivation for responding is due to an earlier opinion on this movie, specifically: "the central character of Delilah is the worst kind of racial stereotype; a relentlessly cheerful mammy, perfectly satisfied to spend her life tending to the needs of her white employer". I am an American Black (African-American) and I do not find Delilah offensive. In fact I applaud the reflection of honesty that this 1934 film attempts. The "mammy" of that time period had very few choices. That she was happy to help her very nice white employer for the safety provided does not make for a hate figure by Blacks. It makes for a reminder of the intense level of crap Black folks went through and how they dealt with the pain of it to stay honest, kind and helpful people. Should Delilah lived in the streets and hated white people the rest of her life? Should she have not had the fortitude and insight to find a situation with another caring human being, albeit this other human was white? And for this she is lauded as a the worst kind of racial stereotype? No. The answer is a resounding NO. Now if Delilah was beaten and raped on a regular basis and still wanted to please her white employer while denying her race the previous poster would have had a point.

Okay, I really didn't like the mournful gospel music, R&B would have made this movie perfect to me but that's just me. Live and Love. There is no shame in being a good person.